The Life of Tolstoy: First Fifty Years: Fifth EditionMaude, Aylmer
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The Life of Tolstoy: First Fifty Years: Fifth Edition
Maude, Aylmer
Tolstoy, Leo, graf, 1828-1910
When speaking of Tolstoy's relations with women, it should be borne in
mind that incontinence for young men was then considered so natural
that few of them in his position would have felt any serious qualms of
conscience about such visits to houses of ill-fame as he lets us know
that he began to pay at this time. His brother Dmítry however led a
chaste life, and alternating with gross lapses of conduct, we find Leo
noting down for his own guidance such resolutions as the following:
To regard the society of women as a necessary unpleasantness of
social life, and to keep away from them as much as possible.
From whom indeed do we get sensuality, effeminacy, frivolity in
everything, and many other vices, if not from women? Whose fault is
it, if not women's, that we lose our innate qualities of boldness,
resolution, reasonableness, justice, etc.? Women are more receptive
than men, therefore in virtuous ages women were better than we; but
in the present depraved and vicious age they are worse than we are.
During his years at the University, Tolstoy saw much of his brother
Dmítry, of whom he says:
I remember also at the University that when my elder brother
Dmítry, suddenly in the passionate way natural to him devoted
himself to religion and began to attend all the Church services,
to fast, and to lead a pure and moral life, we all, and even our
elders, unceasingly held him up to ridicule and called him, for
some unknown reason, 'Noah.' I remember that Moúsin-Poúshkin (then
Curator of Kazán University), when inviting us to a dance at his
house, ironically remonstrated with my brother, who had declined
the invitation, and used the argument that even David danced before
the Ark. I sympathised with these jokes my elders made, and deduced
from them the conclusion that though it is necessary to learn the
catechism and go to church, one must not take such things too
seriously. (_Confession._)
Again we read of this brother:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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